The State of Young America: Economic Barriers to the American Dream

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Today’s 20-somethings are the first generation, as a whole, to face downward economic mobility compared with their parents’ generation, according to a new report. While these “millenials” are the most technologically savvy, diverse and tolerant generation in history, their dreams are clouded by high student loan debt, uncertain job prospects and increased health-care costs, stated the report from the national policy centre Demos and the youth advocacy organization Young Invincibles. The report includes new data analysis, polling results from people ages 18-34, and stories of young people entering adulthood in a time of uncertainty.

In just 10 years employer-sponsored insurance dropped 12.8 percentage points for 18-24 year-olds, and 8.5 percentage points for those 25-34.

Young Invincibles, which began out of recognition that young people’s voices were not being heard in the debate over health care reform, works with Atlantic’s Children & Youth programme in the United States toward ensuring children’s access to health care.